כְּׁשֶיִּשָּׂא וְיִתֵּן אוֹ יַעֲשֶׂה מְלָאכָה לִטֹּל שָׂכָר, לֹא יִהְיֶה בְּלִבּוֹ קִבּוּץ
מָמוֹן בִּלְבָד, אֵלָא יַעֲשֶׂה דְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ כְּדֵי שֶיִּמְצָא דְּבָרִים
שֶׁהַגּוּף צָרִיךְ לָהֶן, מֵאֲכִילָה וּׁשְתִיָּה וִישִׁיבַת בַּיִת וּנְשִׂיאַת אִשָּׁה
וְכֵן כְּשֶׁיֹּאכַל וְיִשְׁתֶּה וְיִבְעֹל, לֹא יָשִׂים עַל לִבּוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת דְּבָרִים
הַלָּלוּ, כְּדֵי לֵהָנוֹת בִּלְבָד, עַד שֶׁנִּמְצָא שְׁאֵינוּ אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה אֵלָא
הַמָּתוֹק לַחֵךְ וְיִבְעֹל כְּדֵי לֵהָנוֹת; אֵלָא יָשִׂים עַל לִבּוֹ שֶׁיֹּאכַל
וְיִשְׁתֶּה, כְּדֵי לְהַבְרוֹת גּוּפוֹ וְאֵבָרָיו בִּלְבָד. לְפִיכָּךְ לֹא יֹאכַל
כָּל שֶׁהַחֵךְ מִתְאַוֶּה, כְּמוֹ הַכֶּלֶב וְהַחֲמוֹר, אֵלָא יֹאכַל דְּבָרִים
הַמּוֹעִילִים לוֹ, אִם מָרִים אִם מְתוּקִים. וְלֹא יֹאכַל דְּבָרִים
הָרָעִים לַגּוּף, אַף עַל פִּי שְׁהֶן מְתוּקִים לַחֵךְ
When one works for payment, it should not be one’s intention just to amass money, but one should be working for money in order to be able to obtain the things which one needs, such as food, drink, a house and a wife. Similarly, when one eats and drinks, one should not be doing so just for enjoyment, because then one will eventually be eating just to sweeten one’s palate and for the joy of it, but one should eat and drink just for the sake of the health of one’s body and limbs.
Therefore, one shouldn’t eat whatever one desires, like a dog or a donkey; one should eat only what the body will use, whether it is bitter or sweet, and one should not eat those things which are bad for the body, even if they are sweet. [Translation by Big Green Jewish]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. How does Rambam compare eating to working?
2. What reasons are given here for eating? Is this a realistic approach?
3. How does this differ and how is it similar to the way that you eat, and the food choices you make?
4. If you only ate food that nourished your body, how would your eating habits be different?
Time Period: Medieval (Geonim through the 16th Century)